Flower
by Honey Monster
Summary: Anzu, an aspiring and extremely young model, managed to catch the eye of fashion giant Hitachiin Yuzuha. After so many years of living in the shade, she finally blossoms into the woman she always wanted to be - but can she handle her new found peace? Especially in a world built on lies and appearances.
1. Disclaimer

I do not own any character or story associated or belonging to the original Ouran High School Host Club series. The series is the creation of Hatori Bisco! I only own characters such as Anzu and her family, and any of her friends/extra characters that are not mentioned in the original series.

This story is a work in progress and this chapter is a pilot! Please review with ideas and suggestions as to what I can do to improve and if I should continue!


	2. Chapter 1

The Hitachiin mansion that night was slightly chaotic, full to the brim with perfectly suited men and finely dressed ladies chatting politely on the dance floor, grouping by the buffet and wine table to mingle with wealthy potential business partners. The music was gentle and calming in the background, providing a delightful undertone to the general conversation that was constantly humming.

The cause of such a ruckus was a welcoming party, and a celebration of not only a successful fashion show but a coming new season. The Hitachiin label had recently picked up a brand new model from the runway of Paris fashion week to become the new face, and the new summer, fall and winter collections for later in the year were waiting to be re-modelled and shot.

A slender blonde stood anxiously in the corner of the room, a confidently fake smile lighting up her features. Her hands were clasped gracefully around a wine glass in front of her, her feet positioned smartly and delicately together in simple black pumps. She wore a floor length dress which hugged under her bust and flowed elegantly down the rest of her body, lying on the curve of her hips and flaunting her long legs. It was a dusty, coal black; with thin spaghetti straps that fastened behind her neck in a small bow.

Her pale eyes flickered around the rest of the room as she watched the guests mingle. There was Kyoyama Akiya, a famous young actress who had the lead role in that TV drama. Misakizawa Ryuu, a photography veteran who had worked with some of the modelling giants in the business – and over there, Nishimura Yano was talking intimately with her fiancé Takashima Izumo, the lead singer of up-and-coming j-rock band Knights.

Gulping, she averted her eyes from each in turn, avoiding awkward staring eye contact with anyone. Parties were never her forte, as she normally didn't talk unless people talked to her – but she could feel lingering stares from various people, and they made her feel slightly more uncomfortable than usual.

Timidly she tucked a strand of curly blonde hair behind her ear, inconspicuously checking her pinned up messy bun as well.

"Fiore-san! How are you enjoying the party?"

The blonde turned her head sharply, caught unawares by the familiar voice, to smile at the maker of her dress – a beautiful strawberry blonde woman by the name of Hitachiin Yuzuha. Though the woman was in her forties, she barely even looked 30, her skin keeping its youthful elasticity and wrinkle-free texture. She had wonderfully golden eyes that glinted mischievously and the kind of glossy red smile that made young men look twice to question her real age. She wore a smart and flattering deep forest green gown with a mermaid tail and crossover v-neck bodice.

"It's… energetic," she replied, chuckling; her voice soft like the gentle chime of bells.

"Oh, you are too quiet. Go and talk to people!" She said, beaming brightly at her.

"Ah, but, it's my first model party…"

Yuzuha smirked and placed her hands firmly on the blonde's dainty shoulders. "Fiore Anzu, you are a gorgeous, young new model who is the new star of the Hitachiin label! I can guarantee almost every woman in this house envies you."

Anzu could feel herself blushing at the comments the older woman made. "Are you jealous too?" She asked cheekily.

Yuzuha just smirked knowingly at her, before changing the subject swiftly. "I do believe you haven't met my darling sons yet! Imagine, you've been named as face of my label for over a month now and you've not even seen their faces once. I must introduce you!" She exclaimed happily, removing the wine from Anzu's hand and leaving it on a table before taking her arm in hers. She barely even had time to blink before the peppy older woman began dragging her into the throng of rich people.

"Hitachiin-sama, are you sure you know where you're going?" The blonde asked uncertainly, smiling her apologies as she bumped people accidently.

"Of course, of course! Don't worry!"

* * *

Meanwhile, across the room, a large group of mainly female spectators were gathered together, trying to look inconspicuous as they stared lustfully at two almost identical men. They were lounging idly in the corner, one reclining on a chair while the other leaned against the wall; alcohol in their glasses and not really paying attention to the world. Both were intensely alluring and mysterious – well, the women gathered around them whispered that between themselves.

"I wish the others could come. This party is boooring." The man with ashen hair whined to his twin, sipping his drink. He was leaning coolly against the wall, one hand in his dark chocolate trouser pockets, his feet crossed in his tan brogues. On his torso was a loose white shirt and tweed jacket with tan elbow patches, a pocket watch clipped to his breast pocket.

"Saturday is usually a busy night, Hikaru. You can't blame them," the younger strawberry blonde replied. Compared to his brother, his attire was a slight more conventional – a dark khaki blazer with rolled up sleeves, off-white smart shirt and grey skinny tie, and a pair of tailored dark grey trousers with dark grey dress shoes. One ear was pierced with a small tunnel, and a few string bracelets hung on his wrist. "But I'm bored too."

"Booooo~!" Hikaru sighed, setting his drink on the table beside them and folding his arms. "I wanna do something fun, Kaoru! I can't believe Kaa-san made us come to this ridiculous party. I'd rather go sleep at Tono's house."

Kaoru smiled sympathetically at his brother. He understood his thoughts, but at the moment he was content with just people watching. Especially since they hadn't really been together much for a while, as brothers – Hikaru had been living in England with a model, studying fashion design and photography in a London university. Kaoru, on the other hand, hadn't really moved away from home much, modelling for his mother whenever they were short of a male model and visiting friends. It had been almost 6 months since the last time they had seen each other, and they were both already becoming different people.

Hikaru huffed and stretched, cracking his fingers as he pouted. His jacket rose with his arms and he tugged it down, dusting thread off his pants. A few women tittered as they caught a glimpse of his pale flesh, and Kaoru snorted mentally.

"Oh boooooys! Mama's here!"

"Speak of the devil," Hikaru mumbled to himself.

"Oh who are you calling a devil now, dear?" Hitachiin Yuzuha smirked at her sons as she appeared in front of them, who were now alert and ready. "Ahh, anyway, I have someone I'd like you to meet! Boys, this is-"

She stopped as she realised her company had disappeared. She spun around, searching frantically for any sign of the tall blonde, until suddenly a slender female pushed through the crowd, almost collapsing on her.

"Oh, Hitachiin-sama! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Nonsense, nonsense." Yuzuha chuckled and helped her straighten herself out before turning back to her sons. "Hikaru, Kaoru, I'd like you to meet the new star of Hitachiin – Fiore Anzu! Fiore-san, these are my beautiful sons, Hikaru and Kaoru!"

Anzu gathered her wits, smiled politely and bowed, her hands held in front of her. "It's an honour to meet you," she said gently, almost laughing awkwardly as Yuzuha hugged her sons lovingly.

Kaoru looked in wonder over his mothers shoulder as she hugged him. The woman was quite tall, yet shorter than him he could tell. She was slim and delicate, with a slightly smaller-than-average chest and from what he could deduced, gorgeous long legs. Her eyes were strangely cat-like and large, framed by thick eyelashes. They glimmered wildly under the chandeliers light, giving her an almost feline look. These killer eyes, matched with the unruly light blonde curls thrown in a messy bun on the back of her head, were nearly enough to bring a man to his knees.

Hikaru glanced at his brother, smirking as watched him check her out. He had to admit, the girl was insanely attractive – and she looked like she knew it, even if only a little.

"Well, I'm gonna leave you kids to play for a bit while I go talk to some important people about Fiore-san's future. Tanoshinde!"

The three 'kids' stared after her as she quickly made her exit, an uncomfortable silence settling over them. The twins shared a look with each other before turning to the woman, their expressions blank.

"W-Well…" Anzu stammered, scratching the side of her face awkwardly.

They had found a new toy.

"We're booooored~!"

Anzu blinked, slightly shocked at the perfect synchronisation, but soon returned to normal – relaxing a little in the happy atmosphere the two brothers gave off. "Me too. I'm not really used to attending these gatherings… especially not when I'm supposed to be the 'honoured guest'," she replied with an embarrassed chuckle.

"Ah yeah, you're the new model aren't you? We'll probably end up working together at some point. I'm Hitachiin Kaoru, the younger twin, in case my mother didn't say who was who clearly enough…" He held out his hand and she took it politely, curtseying.

"Of course, thank you. I look forward to working with you." Her eyes closed as she grinned happily, before turning to the other. "Therefore, I assume you must be Hikaru-san, yes?"

Hikaru nodded, shifting his weight to his left leg. He pulled his hand from his pocket to shake her politely before returning it. "It's nice to meet you, Anzu-san. You're an incredibly beautiful woman – our mother has a good eye for her models."

Anzu could feel her cheeks bursting into colour so she looked away hastily, eyes not meeting theirs. Kaoru glanced across at him only to finding him smirking back and wiggling his eyebrows. "Th-Thank you," she stammered, playing with the skirt of her dress. Looking back at them, she swallowed her nerves and smiled, relaxing slightly again as the moment passed.

"So," Kaoru began, salvaging the conversation, "how long have you been modelling for, Anzu-san?"

Hikaru could have face-palmed right there in front of her at Kaoru's initiation of small talk. Apparently his eyebrow wiggle had not been obvious enough to make Kaoru follow up on the compliment.

"Well, I only seriously started to think about modelling when I was 19… so, 2 years I guess. I'm quite the novice really," she replied cordially.

Before Kaoru could say something weak, Hikaru jumped in with another comment. "Well you're certainly a natural – I was in Paris for the fashion week and saw you on the catwalk. Remember, Kaoru? I showed you some photos. She was gorgeous wasn't she?"

"E-Er, yeah, you were beautiful Fiore-san," he stuttered, his cheeks turning pink as he sharply elbowed his twin. Hikaru frowned as his brother slipped to using her last name.

Anzu, on the other hand, was watching their silent exchange awkwardly. Her fingers fidgeted as she waited for their staring contest to stop, smiling faux-obliviously as she internally sweat dropped.

"_Hikaru! You never told me you were coming here tonight_!"

A wave of relief rushed over her as the foreign voice interrupted and a new face appeared; a slim auburn brunette with seductive chocolate eyes and a heart-shaped face. She slinked towards the older twin in her delicate pale pink strapless chiffon gown; the trail was picked up in her hand so it didn't drag, and she rested her arm on his shoulder, leaning her body against him.

"_Evelyn_!" He said brightly in English, slipping his hands around her waist and whirling her around. "What are you doing here? I thought you were staying in England!"

"_Well, _someone_ forgot to invite me to such an important party. Your mother rang when she found out you arrived in Japan alone and ordered me here instantly_."

Hikaru turned slightly pink and scratched the back of his head. "_Oops_."

"_Indeed_," the woman replied with smug smirk, but she kissed him lightly on the lips anyway, playfully tapping his cheek. She turned towards the others who were watching the exchange oddly, and opened her mouth in realisation. "_Ah, apologies! I haven't met either of you before, yet I know _you're_ Kaoru," she said in a joking tone. "My name is Evelyn Jackson, I'm Hikaru's girlfriend. Pleasure to meet you_."

The short introduction was finished with a tiny bow of respect. Anzu blinked, a little bewildered at her sudden appearance, before replying in English. "_I wasn't expecting to meet Hikaru-san's girlfriend here – it's an honour. My name is Fiore Anzu – I just recently became a Hitachiin model…_"

"_Oh, you're the new face! _And _you speak English! Congratulations, it really is amazing to land a job like this in your first few years. You must have worked extremely hard to get where you are_."

She laughed and nodded awkwardly. Apparently not everyone knew she had simply been picked up off a runway.

Before the conversation could be picked up, Kaoru had caught her eye and gestured almost unnoticeably to leave and give the couple some space. Catching on, she nodded slightly back and curtseyed, excusing her and Kaoru with the excuse that she needed to use the facilities and Kaoru would chaperone her.

Once away from the two, Kaoru let out a breath he never knew he was holding, attracting the attention of the new model. She looked at him curiously, and as he glanced back she blushed and turned the other way quickly. "Ah, sorry," he began sheepishly. "It's just, I didn't really wanna be third and fourth wheel… plus I've heard from Hikaru that she's quite a handful. He does love her a lot though…"

Anzu grinned at the handsome younger twin and nodded, holding her hands in front of her. "It's no problem, really. However, I would like to request you actually _do_ show me where the bathroom is now."

* * *

Well, that's it for the first chapter! :) I hope you enjoy it, and please let me know what you think and what could be improved! :)


	3. Chapter 2

It was the start of a new day in a new country, in a new house in a new city with an old roommate. The sun was high above the modest detached town house, bathing everything in a bright sunny light and warming the afternoon air. A bird outside sat singing in the tree by her bedroom window, and it slowly woke her from her slumber, as she groggily turned over into her pillow and groaned.

Her bedroom was a sleeping paradise, almost exclusively devoted to the cause save for the wardrobe that spilled clothes onto the floor. The walls were painted a simplistic white, the floor a dark wooden floorboard. Her bed was low on the floor in the corner of the room, and her numerous big pillows were propped in the corner with her plush toys, her bed covers patterned in rich turquoises, pinks and golds. Matching drapes hung across the ceiling overhead, fairy lights beneath them, trailing down the walls at either side from small hooks.

It was dark despite the brightness outside due to the blackout curtains pulled across her balcony doors. Anzu was practically submerged under her blanket, somewhat resembling a cave troll reluctant to go into the sun. Scattered around her bed were empty mugs and chocolate biscuit packets, half-read manga and a charging laptop. Her dress from the night before was thrown over a beanbag, giving the large Appa plush residing there a blanket of its own. Three suitcases sat messily in the corner, still packed with various items of clothing and posters from her old house.

It took a while, but finally the blonde emerged crawling from her lair, eyes still half-closed and body stretching like a cat. She rolled onto the floor with a yawn, carefully dodging any debris, before stumbling towards a suitcase and grabbing anything she laid her hands on.

She ended up in her favourite ugly jumper, a bright red number with zigzag patterns and stretched sleeves, and a pair of old holey leggings she had intended to throw away. Wiping sleep from her eyes, she opened her curtains, squinting in the light before she left to go downstairs.

The rest of the house outside her cave was completely opposite. A minimalistic western approach had been taken, the walls white and furniture all smart black wood. Large framed prints on the wall provided the only splash of colour, manga characters drawn in editorial-style poses. Walking down the staircase, Anzu lazily glanced over them like she always did, her brain still not properly functioning.

"Wooooo, the beast awakens."

From the other side of the banister, Shiori Etsuko had her head leaned upside down on the back of the sofa, an amused smile on her face and her large brown eyes blinking innocently at her. Her stark vermillion hair fell in short waves and her straight fringe flipped over, matching the colour of her lipstick.

"Blugh, shut up," Anzu replied, flicking her sleeve in her face before tumbling over the back of the sofa and landing in a ball on the seat.

Etsuko snorted at her friend, returning to the building sketch she was working on for her class the next day. Though the blonde was usually composed and dignified, mornings (or afternoons in this case) really did something to her.

"Good party yesterday?" She asked casually, shading a pillar with delicate single strokes.

"I suppose. I honestly didn't do much other than smile and greet important fashion industry people." Anzu didn't move from her position, her face snuggled into the sleeves of her jumper.

"Sounds fun," she commented absently.

"Yeah."

And that was the end of that conversation. Etsuko continued her work in silence, applying intricate details to the outside of her mansion. In that moment, if one was to ask which of the two living in the house was a model, the majority would likely choose the redhead – though the 21 year old was an architecture and interior design student, she was an avid follower of fashion in Tokyo, and often her picture cropped up on blogs after she attended a fashion walk in the city.

Eventually, Anzu sat up from her position and gave one final yawn and stretch, blinking blankly for a few moments before standing up and going to the kitchen for a cup of tea.

Etsuko shook her head fondly, about to pack up her art supplies when the landline rang. Sighing, she reached to pick it up as the kettle began to boil in the background.

"Hello, Fiore-Shiori Residence."

"Ah, good, this is the right number! Good afternoon Miss, my name is Hitachiin Yuzuha – I'm calling to speak to Fiore-san, if she's home?"

She almost squealed down the phone, gripping the plastic tightly in her small manicured hands. Hitachiin Yuzuha was perhaps one of her favourite designers – her claim to internet fame stemmed from a photo captured of her dressed in a vintage Hitachiin jumpsuit and platform sandals. "A-Ah yes! Hitachiin Yuzuha-sama! Um, wow, this is... I… I'm sorry, I'm Anzu's best friend, I'm such a big fan of yours, like I think I own pretty much every shoe you designed from last year's autumn collection and they are all _so _fabulous-"

"I'm very glad you like them!"

"Oh it's no trouble at all Hitachiin-sama! I-I mean, you deserve praise for creating such beautiful items-"

"Thank you very much miss… ah…"

"Shiori Etsuko! My name is Shiori Etsuko, Hitachiin-sama, it's an honour to talk to you, you're my idol-"

A hearty laugh came from the other end of the phone, and Etsuko turned pink with embarrassment. She looked towards the kitchen door, where a snigger was heard from Anzu – the bedraggled model was stood in the doorway, leaning against the wooden frame.

"I, uh, I'll just put Anzu on for you, thank you for talking with me!" She quickly rushed into the receiver, hurrying over to the blonde and slapping her head as she handed over the phone.

Anzu smirked at her friend and shook her head before walking back into the kitchen, followed by the redhead. "Yuzuha-sama, good afternoon."

"Fiore-san! You're sounding well today. Your friend is rather sweet too, by the way! How are you?"

Etsuko couldn't help but chuckle as Anzu went from sleepy mode to polite mode. "I'm very well, thank you; I slept wonderfully after the party. I had a marvellous time. How are _you_?"

Yuzuha laughed happily at her response. "Splendid, splendid! I am extremely happy today my dear. I was just calling to see if you could come over today for some test shots? Plans are being made for you to shoot the summer collection hopefully in a few weeks and the photographer I've chosen would like to see what lighting and what not he needs. It will save some time on the actual day of the shoot, only adjusting for weather."

"Of course, I can be there as soon as possible. Is there anything you'd like me to bring or do beforehand?"

"Bring something that shows who _you_ are. That's something I've wanted to see from you, since a catwalk is not a place for much personality."

Anzu paused, nodding her head slowly. "Yes, I will. I won't be long, Hitachiin-sama."

"Alright! Bye!"

The line cut off as Yuzuha hung up, and Anzu turned back to look at Etsuko. A few seconds passed as no one spoke, and the redhead raised her eyebrow just before her friend began. "Uh, what material item that I own would you say describes me?"

* * *

Hikaru stretched lazily and turned over, his face snuggling into his girlfriend's warm neck. He reached over her to pull her body closer to his, enjoying the feel of skin against skin, and hummed happily.

Evelyn felt the vibrations tingle through her muscles and she responded with a sigh, turning her head to kiss the ashen hair softly and cradle his shoulders with a loving smile. It was peaceful in the Hitachiin's old bedroom, with the thin floor-length curtains that allowed the afternoon sun to filter in, lighting the room with a romantic glow and gently edging the couple into consciousness.

The older twin pressed chaste kisses up her neck to her jaw, where he leaned over her and admired her beauty, his golden eyes raking down that perfect body, analysing her glossy, almost black eyes. Underneath him, the brunette trailed a fingernail lightly down his chest, reaching around to pull herself up into a long kiss.

"_Mmmm, good morning_," Hikaru whispered, one arm reaching around her small torso to hug her to him as they both sat up.

"_Morning Hikaru_," she replied, pecking his nose. She wasn't fazed by the fact they were both naked under the covers, and her hand even teased his bare thigh before she got out of bed with a wink.

He watched her hips sway from side to side as she sashayed into the ensuite bathroom, picking up her bag from the corner. _God_ she was amazing.

He fell back against his pillows with a satisfied sigh and smirked, stretching lazily before beginning to roll out of bed. The shower faucet turned on from the bathroom, and eventually steam began to curl through the open gap in the door – noticing this, Hikaru chuckled before following in the steps of his English rose, padding into the room and slipping into the shower behind her.

After a shower that lasted perhaps a bit longer than planned, the couple were dressed and fed, sitting across from each other at the breakfast bar with their coffee and toast. Evelyn had straightened her hair, much to Hikaru's distaste – he preferred it to be wild and uncombed, so he could run his fingers through and untangle the small knots in the auburn strands. But she was wearing a short, sweet cotton sundress with a low v-neck and string belt, a pair of wooden wedges on her feet. So he supposed he could deal with it.

They weren't alone in the room long before his younger twin ambled into the kitchen, sitting down heavily on a chair and rubbing his eyes.

"_Kaoru!_" Evelyn greeted with a signature bright smile, her shoulders lifting happily. It was a little habit Hikaru found she had, and he adored it immensely.

"_Miss Evelyn_," he replied politely, nodding. A cup of coffee was quickly placed in his hand by a maid, and he gulped it down gratefully, sighing in relief as the mug chinked against the bench top.

"Tired?" His brother smirked, catching Evelyn's hand in his and locking their fingers together playfully.

"Hm. A bit."

"Well, you better wake up soon. Okaasan came through earlier saying something about Anzu-san's practise shoot."

Kaoru blinked at him before his eyes narrowed in apathy. While the brothers conversed, Evelyn busied herself with flicking through a magazine, not quite up to scratch with her conversational Japanese. The words were pretty much just babble to her, though every now and then she caught a few she thought she understood – especially names, of which Fiore Anzu's seemed to come up a lot.

The brunette stopped on a page as her face came up – a snapshot of the blonde on the catwalk, her hair pulled into a tight bun with wildly messy bangs as she displayed a military-style shift dress with a high buttoned collar and no sleeves, tall platform wedges on her feet to elongate her legs. Her lips were black, her eyes layered in coal make-up to make her metallic blue eyes pop, and her expression was stern and unwavering as she seemed to gaze into the English model's soul.

She was a little jealous, to say the least, of the newcomer's rise to fame. Two years was not a long time in this business – Evelyn herself had been modelling since the age of 15, pressed by her vain mother and supported by her friends. But she could not deny the strange attraction she seemed to claim from photographs, that skill of catching and holding attention that every model craved for and a small percentage actually possessed.

Kaoru looked over to his brother's girlfriend, noticing she had tuning out and had stopped in her reading. His eyes flickered to the page she lingered over, and stayed there for a few moments, until a figure walking in distracted him.

"Oh! Good morning, everyone… _Ah, good morning Miss Jackson_."

There she was – the blonde in question. Hikaru immediately smirked at his brother's slight blush.

"_Anzu-san, it's nice to see you again_," he said casually (in English, much to the advantage of Evelyn), offering a smile reminiscent of his host club days. "_Um… may I ask, if you don't think me rude… why you are carrying a quilt with you_?"

Anzu chuckled nervously and juggled the huge blanket in her arms so it wouldn't trail across the floor. "_Ah well, Hitachiin-sama asked me to bring an object that shows who I am. So…_" She held it up for emphasis, a proud smile on her face as the group laughed to themselves.

"Well Fiore-san! You certainly thought about what you were going to bring! I must say, very intriguing."

She turned her head to where the boys' mother stood in the doorway, her lipstick smile ever present. She raised her hand and beckoned with a finger for her to follow, nodding a good morning to her sons as the blonde followed her out quickly with a similar gesture.

"Well," Hikaru chuckled, looking for his brother's reaction.

The younger twin just snorted in amusement and shook his head.


	4. Chapter 3

In the center of town, seated outside a coffee shop on the corner of a street, was a man. A newspaper was open in his hands, a half-empty cup of coffee steaming on the table. The wind blew gently and rustled the papers, and he shook them out casually, pushing his glasses back onto his nose with one finger.

Around him, a few longing sighs and giggles travelled around. Two women at one table were desperately trying to catch his eye, reapplying their lipstick and leaning forward on their elbows. He was, to say the least, _gorgeous_.

And yet nothing distracted him from his reading.

It was roughly 5pm, and the steady flow of typical office workers was starting to pile onto the streets, most from the tall buildings that lined the roads. Even in the late afternoon, the area was lit up by flashing neon signs and advertisements; the sky had only slightly darkened and already car lights were blaring against the vehicles in front, horns beeping noisily and engines purring over the steady hum of human chatter. A sea of faces fluidly moved as a traffic light switched to stop, and people hurried across the street, many clad in suits and shirts with their smart briefcases.

_Beep beep! Beep beep!_

The man's eyes slid sideways to where his mobile rested beside his cup, the small screen flashing as it vibrated obnoxiously. Noting the name on the caller ID, he groaned inwardly, reluctantly folding his paper and flipping the phone up.

"Yes?"

"Kyoya! _Mon ami_, to greet your closest friend in such a way…" the loud and flamboyant voice trailed off into dramatic sobs as Kyoya closed his eyes, hand reaching up to rub his temples. He dropped the newspaper on the table and leaned back in his chair, head turning away from the admirers now swooning over his voice.

"Tamaki, I have little to no time for this discussion. I am currently waiting to meet a potential match. Can you make it quick?" He said sternly, half folding his arms.

"Oh, a _match!?_ Kyoya, you're not getting married are you? I never thought I'd see the day! Oh, Haruhi, come hear this-"

"I never said I was getting married. I merely stated I am meeting a potential match, which might I add, is due to a request from my father. Do not get your hopes up."

"Too late," a new, amused female voice appeared on the other end, after the line crackled a bit.

The raven haired man felt the corners of his mouth twitch, as he imagined his emotional best friend drooping in a corner, cultivating his famous mushrooms of woe. "Ah. Haruhi, it's nice to hear from you."

"And you too Kyoya-sempai. How is work?"

"Not bad, not bad. And we're no longer in high school; you don't have to refer to me as sempai."

He could just see the petite brunette shrugging her shoulders casually, brushing off his offer. "Force of habit."

The line went silent for a few moments as either side pondered what to say. They had never really had a proper conversation over the phone – whenever they spoke, it was about work, or something Tamaki had done, or for an invitation to an event.

Haruhi eventually broke the neutral silence as she remembered the point of her capricious husband's call. "Oh, Tamaki wanted to invite you over for Kotoko's first birthday party. I think he's invited pretty much everyone he knows, so there'll be a lot of people-"

"You don't have to convince me to come to my own goddaughter's birthday party. I'm sure I can make it."

"Cool. See you there then?"

"Of course. That will hopefully bring Tamaki out of his momentary depression."

A chuckle resounded in his ear. "Oh God, he's a special kind of idiot. See you, Kyoya-sempai."

The line cut off and the Ootori flipped down his phone, dropping it on the table just as a woman appeared opposite him.

"I hope I didn't keep you long, Ootori-san."

"No no, of course not, Kyori-san."

* * *

It was unexplainably cold in the set room, even with all the windows shut tight and an electric heater just out of camera shot. Long, heavy blackout curtains draped over the wide windows to cover any natural light, allowing them to get the best quality picture through reflective panels and spot lamps. A roll of soft, pristine white muslin hung from the ceiling and spread out across the floor, upon which a huddle of blanket currently sat. The material draped over Anzu's head and down the sides of her body, her hands gently holding the edges as she gazed deeply into the lens.

One final, bright flash as the shutter clicked, and the man dropped his camera to his chest, letting it hang around his neck.

"All right, that's a wrap. Good work today, Anzu-san!"

"Thank you, Kazuto-san. It was a pleasure working with you." She replied, letting the blanket fall around her shoulders as she smiled.

The photographer gave her a thumbs up and a smirk as he unhooked a cable from around his leg, ambling over to a desk with a laptop on it. His long-time friend and most loved client, Hitachiin Yuzuha, stood behind it, her face gazing at the screen with a thoughtful expression.

"Something the matter, Yuzuha?" He asked, looking over her shoulder to see what was on the screen.

The first thing he was drawn to were the eyes, wide and curious and marvellously blue, especially in the extremely close-up shot. The way she wasn't looking into the camera he had held below, but up to where he had stood over her – a small, barely existing smile was worn on her pale slightly parted lips, and her hair fell in messy waves over her bare shoulders.

She had lain on her front on the floor, half-wrapped in the white blanket she had brought with her and dressed in a loose spaghetti tank with boy shorts. If there was anything to describe it, it was innocently seductive; her doe-eyed expression and pale skin matched with the intimacy of her pose. On the other hand, it could just be her lying comfortably in a blanket.

He let out a low whistle and chuckled, taking his camera from around his neck and setting in by the laptop. Yuzuha snorted and shook her head, looking up from the screen.

"It doesn't look like a set. The close-up, the angle… this could have been taken in her own bedroom for all we know. Very nice, Kazuto."

He grinned and flicked through the images, stopping on a select few. One of her stood up with the corner of the blanket grabbed in her fist, over her mouth; one with it pulled around her shoulders and a pout on her face. None of them looked posed. Just… natural.

"So you still interested in her?"

Yuzuha let her gaze slowly move to the set, where the youngster was gratefully accepting a mug of tea from a maid, sitting comfortably cross-legged on the floor. She sipped it blankly, quietly waiting for further instruction, as her eyes glanced around the spacious room.

"Hm…" she replied with a smirk. "Of course I am. There's nothing wrong with being casual."

Kazuto looked at her pointedly, scratching the stubbly beard he'd been cultivating for the past few weeks. It needed a trim, maybe some sculpting, but he'd been caught up in one of his creative sprees and had disregarded his personal hygiene. What was the Hitachiin woman thinking? He didn't think there was anyone in the world who could know, not even her husband. He found himself smiling fondly at her.

He looked back over to his model, who had pushed herself up with the blanket still wrapped around her, the mug of tea grasped in a hand poking through the material. She carefully stepped over wires and other debris as she made her way over to them.

"Hitachiin-sama…"

Yuzuha grinned at the blonde's curious expression, gave a sharp, pleased nod, and picked up her abandoned coffee from a side table. "Good work. You may leave now, but the summer shoot will be in two weeks, so be ready. These pictures will be published online, and perhaps made available for print, should you agree. Kazuto has them there on his laptop." She pointed, and turned to leave, waving her fingers. "Remember the next shoot! Don't be late!"

"Ah, of course! Goodbye!"

She bowed, almost forgetting the tea in her hand – a small squeal slipped from her mouth as the hot liquid splashed dangerously close to the side. She cast her eyes worriedly over the expensive-looking technology, before looking sheepishly up at the chuckling photographer, cheeks turning pink.

Kazuto just shook his head and turned the laptop towards her, leaving her to her own devices.

* * *

It was dark outside by the time Anzu pulled up on the drive outside her home, still in her minimal shoot make-up and purposely dishevelled hair. The street lamps were on, but the light they provided was minimal and yellowish, glinting off the shiny cars that lined the road. She flicked on the overhead light whilst she searched or her bag, before turning it off and climbing out. She had changed out of her pyjamas back into her normal clothes, an olive-coloured cable knit batwing jumper with black leggings and her favourite dark brown JC Lita boots, with her blanket thrown on the back seat.

She left it there, pressing lock on her car keys and walking inside to the replying _shick_ of the mechanism.

Her roomie was home, as the front door was unlocked and there were empty glasses on the living room table. Voices carried from the kitchen, female chattering and laughter. So she hadn't brought a man home at least. Etsuko had been under watch from the blonde ever since an unknown male appeared in their house one morning following a party, a few days after she'd split from her long-time boyfriend. Smirking, Anzu threw her bag on the sofa and kicked off her boots, padding barefoot into the kitchen to see their visitor.

Two surprised faces quickly turned towards her as she entered, both relaxing as they saw it wasn't a burglar at least. Etsuko gestured with the bottle of wine on the counter, as their guest pushed an empty glass across.

"Well well, Michiko-chan. This is unexpected," she teased, accepting the glass and holding it so the redhead could pour.

"I was in the area… I thought I would pay a visit, seeing as though it _has_ been some time…" the dark brunette teased, her voice silky and playfully sly. Her cheeks already had a slight blush from the alcohol.

"_Some_ time? I think you'll find _two years_ is more accurate. You're practically a stranger."

Michiko laughed sadly, agreeing with her. Her almond-shaped eyes softened and she opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to find words. The atmosphere almost immediately changed, and everyone could feel it – Etsuko shifted her weight against the counter and took another gulp of her wine, watching the two quietly. "I… How have you been, Anzu-chan?"

Her steely blue eyes held her amber ones for a few seconds before they dropped to the red wine in the glass, her hand gently swirling it around. She noticed briefly that her nail varnish had chipped, and frowned at the small peach triangle against the dark grey. "I've been good, I guess. Yeah. Good." She looked up to the woman and gave a smile. "We just moved here from Kyoto to be closer to my work. Settling in is taking a while…"

Michiko jumped as Etsu snorted unexpectedly, her hand shooting up to cover her mouth as she swallowed her drink. "Hah, talk about it! You haven't even unpacked your suitcases, slob."

The brunette darted her eyes to watch Anzu's reaction, her eyebrow rising when she saw her laugh into her own drink, bubbles ripping on the surface before she set it down and wiped her mouth with a small giggle. "Okay, okay! I've been a bit lazy. But I'll do it tomorrow!"

Feeling the happy atmosphere return, Michiko sighed and shook her head, downing the rest of her glass. She looked better, at least. Her grandmother had been worried about her going off and living alone. She leaned against the counter, her little black cocktail dress creasing and tightening around her skinny frame. She didn't like those dresses, but she'd been conducting family business all day, and it was her duty to uphold their reputation and status.

She caught her reflection in the glass of the grill across from her and frowned to herself. Her once glossy hair was now greasy from a long day and her eyes were glassy. Her face was a little hot from numerous glasses of alcohol, and from what she could see, the second bottle was almost empty.

_Probably time to go_, she thought, setting the glass down reluctantly.

She picked her bag up from the floor and retrieved her phone, scrolling quickly to message her chauffeur outside. "Sorry ladies, I think I've stayed too long. My driver was waiting for me; I said I'd only be an hour or so. I'm expected back at home."

"Ah, the joys of being an heiress," Etsuko said sarcastically, raising her glass in a toast of sorts.

"Don't even go there. Compared to us, _you_ have it easy, commoner" she joked, poking her in the shoulder with a manicured nail.

The redhead stuck her tongue out and laughed. "Boy am I glad I don't belong in your world. Anzu used to always be out at social gatherings and stupid galas. Speaking of which, she was at one last night – the Hitachiin's, would you believe?"

Michiko sent the blonde an amused look. "You, at a party? That's always funny. Did you talk at all?"

"Hey, I talked to Yuzuha-sama and her sons! You know I don't like parties anyway," she pouted, her tongue becoming looser from the wine.

A perfect grin was her reply, as the brunette walked into the sitting room to collect her blazer. The two housemates followed, glasses discarded, as she stumbled into her smart stiletto heels, using the wall as a support.

"Don't fall over now," Anzu joked, despite holding her shoulder just in case. "It was nice seeing you again, Micchan. Don't leave the next visit so long, alright?"

"Of course, of course. Next time I'm not so busy, we'll have a _proper_ catch up, alright?"

Momentary panic flitted through the blonde's mind, before she calmed herself down quickly. All too late, though, for Michiko was looking at her pointedly, her eyes conveying what she couldn't say out loud.

"Yeah. Yeah… of course."

"Well, see ya Michiko-chan! Have a safe journey home!" Etsu smiled, hugging the brunette whilst opening the door.

"Thanks, Etsu-chan. See you… Bye, Anzu," she smiled, hugging her gently.

"Bye Micchan."

With one last nod and wave, she slowly made her way down the drive and into the street, down a few houses to where a black car hummed quietly. When she disappeared inside, Etsuko shut the door and glanced at her now quiet housemate, her eyes soft.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Thank you to everyone who has favourited or alerted this story!

_ CeliaSingsSongs_, Kyoya has made an appearance in this chapter... but I don't really wanna say much else other than he definitely won't be going anywhere!

This chapter is kind of a start into the story, so it might be a little weird, but all will be answered in time. :) I am also extremely tired so apologies if it seems a little rushed at the end, but I had started and I wanted to finish today whilst I was still in the mood. Thank you again for reading, and I hope to see you in the next chapter! :)


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